the cheese scene...

It just keeps getting better - the cheese scene in Cumbria that is. We've got Thornby Moor who hand-make one of the county's favourite farmhouse cheeses in both smoked and unsmoked form. If it's goats cheese or blue cheese you are after then try Wardhall Dairy, they create a really fantastic selection, with some wonderful soft, fresh cheeses too.

Then we've got the Lake District Cheese Company who cater for those that want a cheddar cheese, and Appleby Creamery who in October 2009 picked up threee national cheese awards.  Their ‘Eden Valley Organic Brie' received a silver medal in the ‘British Cheese Awards' and a ‘Highly Commended' in the ‘Soil Association Awards 2009. ‘Eden Chieftain' also picked up a bronze award.

Appleby has a history of producing cheese, and thanks to old Applebians, Alan Mandle, Maurice Walton and Bob Parmley the town can once again be proud of its cheese making tradition. Former workers at the old town cheese factory, Alan, Maurice and Bob have a combined seventy years experience in cheese making. When the old factory closed, Bob spent time working as Station Master at Appleby rail station. He never lost his passion for cheese making and needed no persuasion when the three decided to re-open a creamery in the town. Such is his devotion for specialist cheese making that Bob spent time over in France to perfect his craft.  Made from organic milk sourced entirely in Cumbria, Eden Valley Organic Brie is already a hit with leading chefs and is now to be found on the cheese board of top restaurants across the region.

More famous for his wild boar, Peter Gott from Sillfield Farm also makes cheese, you can get this in his new farm shop at Endmoor, online from his website or by visiting him at Borough Market in London. Peter uses a Westmorland recipe from the 1920's when cheese was made at Sillfield, he creates Westmorland original and Westmoreland mature and also adds herbs and spices to create a variety called Cheese Wonders. His son Martin is another cheese maker, at the Holker Farm dairy, using milk sheep from the Lacaune breed of sheep. This cheese is available in only a few locations, including Neales Yard in London, the Holker food hall, Artisan in Booths, Kendal and at Low Sizergh Barn farm shop.

One cheese that you'll have a really hard time getting hold of, unless you travel to Wasdale, is a cheese called Lingmell, made in Murt. This is from a tiny dairy that produces limited quantities of handmade cheeses. This particular one is made from unpasturised Cumbrian ewe's milk. Murt is situated between Nether Wasdale and Wastwater, the latter being famous for providing Britain's favourite view, and being home to its smallest church, highest mountain and deepest lake. So it's well worth the trip to get your hands on some of this delicious cheese. I found some in the great Bridge End Farm shop at Santon Bridge.

Content and photography supplied by www.artisan-food.com, funded by Distinctly Cumbrian.